Improvement in side-hill-plow clevises



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' Patented Aug. 24, 1875.

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UNITED STATES FREEMAN O. MERRILL, OF SOUTH PARIS, MA INE.

IMPRO VEMENT IN SIDE-HILL-PLOW. CLEVISES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 166,935, dated August24, 1875; application filed May 31, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREEMAN O. MERRILL, ofSouth Paris, in the county of Oxford and State of Maine, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in SideHilLPlow Glevises; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich it pertains to make and use the same,'reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation, parts broken out. Fig. 2 is a top plan.

Same letters show like parts.

The object of my invention is to produce an improved clevis, to beattached to the forward end of the beam of a side-hill plow.

My invention may be thus described: a shows the clevis, b the beam ofthe plow. This clevis is attached to the beam by the bolt 0, which worksin the slot 61 in the beam.

The object of this slot is to allow of the backward and forward movementof the clevis. The purpose of this backward and forward movement will behereinafter described.

e is a metal plate set in the top surface of the end of the plow-beam,as illustrated. f is a crescent-shaped slot in this piece, having eyesor recesses g. h is a projecting piece or stud on the lower surface ofthe upper plate of the clevis. This stud works in the slot f as theclevis is turned from side to side. 0' is an opening in the slot, toallow of the removal of the clevis when desired. The plate e is held inplace on the end of the beam by screws or bolts.

The particular purpose of having a clevis thus constructed is, that theline of draft may be automatically regulated by the turning of the teamat the end of the furrows.

To illustrate the operation of my invention, suppose the first furrow tobe made across the foot of a hill, and, as customary, throwing the earthor furrow in the direction of the descent, and suppose that it isdesired to have the plow land more, or make a wider furrow, the clevisis turned until the stud h rests in the recess 9 on the same side of theplow-beam as the mold-board. When the end of the furrow has beenreached, and it is desired to turn the team and return across the field,and the position of the mold-board has been changed from one to theother side of the beam, as is customary upon plows of this kind, thenthe team is turned in such direction, either right or left, as willchange the clevis so that its stud It will rest in the other recess g,and thus still maintain its relative position-that is to say, so as toagain place it on the same side of the mold-board.

When it is desired to maintain a narrow furrow, and when the team is tobe turned at the end of the furrow, then the cattle are moved in suchdirection, either to the right or left, as will place the stud h in thatrecess of the plate 0 which is on the opposite side of the mold-board.

It will thus be seen that simply turning the cattle to one or the otherside, as may be requisite, determines whether the plow, in making itsfurrow, shall land heavily or lightly.

It will also be observed that the operation of the clevis under thesecircumstances is antomatic, requiring no change in the position of theclevis save that occasioned by the turning of the team, and in thisrespect particularly is unlike the movable clevis in common use.

If a direct line of draft only is required, the clevis can be firmlyfastened to the center of the beam by means of a bolt, (indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 1.)

Instead of the slotted plate being placed upon the plow-beam, it may befastened to the top of the clevis, and have a curved front edge, inshape like the slot in the plate on the beam. Two studs or checks wouldthen be affixed to the sides of the beam, and these work into therecesses of the top plate to hold the clevis to either side. When theplow is turned, the backward movement of the clevis will throw therecesses free of the checks, in the same manner as described of the studin the clevis.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In combination with the clevis at, having the bolt 0 and stud h, andthe beam 1), having the slot d, the plate 0, having the curved slot Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as f, the said slots being arrangedand constructmy own I affix my signature in presence of ed as shown anddescribed. two witnesses.

2. In combination with the clevis, made as FREEMAN O. MERRILL.described, and having the bolt and stud, the Witnesses: slotted plate 6,having the opening '0', as and GEORGE A. WILSON,

W. A. FROTHINGHAM.

for the purposes set forth.

